Khamzat Chimaev was the Breakout Fighter of the Year in 2020 for some after joining the UFC roster in July, and with a trio of stoppage victories that saw him cumulatively absorb just a single significant strike in his UFC tenure, it is hard to deny his high skill level and offensive output.

The latter half of the year was not so kind to him. After his scheduled opponent Leon Edwards got COVID-19, Khamzat fell victim to the virus as well and has undergone a number of strenuous months recuperating, resulting in multiple cancellations of their long-awaited bout.

Being flown out to Las Vegas last week, it looked like Chimaev was en route to a healthy recovery, but his most recent Instagram post tells a different story.

It seems that the just recently signed prospect will be retiring after his battle with COVID-19. Many thought that the 26-year-old would surely find himself with a UFC belt wrapped around his waist, but his health issues seem to be too severe for him to consider fully investing in the sport going forward. I am sure we will receive more information in the coming days, but for now, we send our best wishes to Chimaev and hope for a speedy recovery.